LouRose

Actually my husband got everything overwith all at once. He went in in the morning and they did the whole interview, collecting the I-864 and all accompanying tax returns. It was all over by noon.

We haven't started to think about citizenship yet, but I was wondering what exactly are the benefits of becoming a citizen as opposed to remaining a permanent resident?

3) They don't ask for any financial info until the interview when you must bring the I-864. 4) Yes even though we live right down the street from the Beijing embassy, GuangZhou is the only place in the whole country that does immigrant visas. 5) If you do DCF you are living in China so don't forget you have to prove your domicile in the US. We worried about this a lot and then the VO didn't ask any questions specifically about that, but did ask related questions about what we planned to do in the US. Seems like it's usually not a big deal but something to be aware of.

I read that thing about the letter online too, but no you don't need it. And no fingerprinting until the interview. Don't worry, DCF is pretty simple.

I also did DCF, in Beijing. I believe Chinese people can only register for marriage in the place of their hukou (household register). That should be the same place where their dangan (file) is kept. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure.

My husband did get his visa! Sorry I didn't report back earlier, we were travelling for a couple weeks with my family. The interview was on the 16th, they asked all the questions we had practiced, and they didn't look at anything he brought except the tax returns. It was all over before noon. Then he immediately flew back to Harbin for our wedding on the 19th. Then the next day he flew back to GZ yet again to pick up the visa. Needless to say he has had more than enough trips to good old GuangZhou. We are relieved that part is over, and now getting nervous and excited for the move to the US!

My dad is a cosponsor for my husband, and I have both his and my tax returns from the last three years. They are very very thick! Do they need to see all those pages at the interview or just the first one or what? Also what happens to the I-864 and supporting evidence, do they keep them or just look and hand them back? Thanks!

Mari! That's so great, you must be so excited it's finally over! Buena suerte con tu vida juntos!

It may well be very difficult to get a real person there but the one time I called to make an appointment, it was a real person. She was not overly helpful but she was nice enough. Have you tried calling them yet? You never know.

You have me listed as K3 but in fact I am CR1 through DCF. No big deal, just thought i'd let you know, for accuracy's sake.

Congrats! Hope you live long and happy lives together. Thanks for asking about the visa pick-up, I feel much better knowing the official rules. It's a big help.

No P4 yet. In an e-mail they said they would resend it, and we faxed them the address *again*, so hopefully next week we'll get something, but who knows.

Congrats! Jennifer's interview is the same day as my husband's! Maybe they can meet up, will you be going too? I take it she hasn't received P4 yet - we haven't either, do you know when yours was sent?

That's very helpful! thanks! It's probably too important to complicate things by having someone else pick it up so i guess my husband will just go to GZ a second time to get it.

Yes you are right, it probably won't hurt to ask if they can have it ready the next day. What about the third question - if you can't pick it up earlier or on time, it must be okay to pick it up a day or two later right? Can you imagine anything bad happening in that case? Seems like people are getting their visa on the second day after the interview, but we would have to wait until a couple days after that. Maybe I'm being neurotic, but I want to anticipate every possible scenario!

I know they can't mail it outside Guangdong, that's why I'm wondering if we can give a friend's address in Guangdong, or appoint a friend to pick it up. Do you think there is any possibility that they could let him pick it up the next day? GZ is usually so uncooperative, I doubt they would be willing to help. MarkD, if your fiance can find anything out about people who can't be there on the specified pick up date, I'd be really grateful!

I know no one is very sure about this new visa pick-up process but you are welcome to take a guess, or if anyone is in GZ at the post office and can ask about this, I'd really appreciate it. My husband will have his interview on Thu 6/16 and our wedding ceremony in his hometown is booked for Sun 6/19. This gives him enough time to go to the interview and still get back for the wedding but not enough time to stay there and wait until the visa is ready to be picked up. He is prepared to fly to GZ a second time after the wedding to get it but here are some questions to ponder: 1. Does it absolutely have to be him that picks it up or can he have a friend get it for him? 2. Is it possible to choose the mail option and have it sent to a friend's house in Guangdong instead of our own? 3. If you don't pick it up on the specified day, will the post office hold it for a day or two until you can get there?

Thanks everyone, I've e-mailed them now just have to wait and see what they say. We do have time, I just hope they are willing to resend it.

It's been a while since I've had anything to post about, but now I'm back in action: We got an e-mail reply from GZ telling us that our interview was scheduled for 6/16/05, and that the information packet was sent on 4/29. That is 12 days ago and still no P4 in sight. Should we be worried? well we are. I e-mailed them again, but is there a more effective way to get in touch with them? Does anyone know what they do if you never receive P4?

bie wang le women!

I would be interested in going, but I have to work that morning, bad timing. Sorry Jenny!

I teach in a private Kindergarten in Beijing, we have kids as young as two years old. They are not easy to teach but they are adorable. If you have any specific questions, ask away.

Yeah! On this trip home I've just discovered that Americans are actually friendly! Its really weird. I've never been to the midwest but I've always heard people there are very friendly to strangers, but compared to China even people here in New England are friendly too. Yesterday I went to the supermarket and one lady wanted to chat about how expensive the mushrooms were and another guy was so enthusiastic about letting someone else pass him. It is such a different feeling from China where you can't talk to anyone unless you have been formally introduced (except the cab drivers, I guess they are an anomaly). I've found some people won't even talk to me unless I've already met them three or four times. I thought maybe it was just because I'm a weirdo to them but if Juxin notices it too then it must really be different. I wish my husband could come, I'd love to see what he thinks. Oh well, maybe next year.

I was expecting something to disagree with but I actually really like that description. That is so true about dismantling your preconceptions. It has been bothering me lately that everyone (at least it seems like everyone) in China is totally convinced that there are no poor people in America and that even the less rich people still lead fabulous lives. I even know people that have travelled to America, mostly on business, who still think that, understandably because they probably stayed in their upscale hotels and offices without venturing into anywhere outside their comfort zone. Just like the article said, watch Oprah, or read a newspaper or go through an underpriveliged neighborhood and you'll see that life in America is not always so great, but its also really easy to see only what you already believe exists. I find it very difficult to describe some parts of America which are different from the image in my husband's mind, I sometimes think he'll just have to wait and see it when he gets here, but even then he might not really see everything for how it is. I guess it just depends on where you go and what you're exposed to. So for those of you whose SO's are already in the US, do you think they had preconceptions before coming and if so have they changed at all?

After one false start and an extra day, I have arrived in the US, just here for a few weeks visiting family and friends. Of course the blizzard chose the one day I wanted to travel to swoop in and close all the airports in New England. After going to the Beijing airport and waiting around for hours, they finally sent us all home, only to come back the next day and wait around some more. I finally made it though, got my bagel fix in the car and gonna work on the pizza cravings tonight. I took Air China since they do nonstop to New York and the flight was mostly Chinese citizens (could tell cause everyone was holding their red passports). So I spent the whole flight thinking how lucky they are that they get to go to America and how its not fair that my own husband can't come with me to meet my family or see where i grew up. I'm sure they all went through the same process at some point, but I just kept thinking "what did they do to get their visas??" I can't wait for the day when we can walk through immigration together. *sigh* On top of that, most of my friends and family here don't seem to understand why my husband couldn't come with me. They are all surprised that I came alone, they just assumed he could automatically come with me now that we are married. Everyone is so ignorant, they think its all so simple. I know I am lucky that at least I can live together with him in Beijing, but its so unfair that he can't even see where I come from, no one here understands what thats like. Guess I'm having a little reverse culture shock - its nice to have all of you to commiserate with. *~Louisa~*